Just before the holidays I spoke with Hawon Lee, who was just wrapping up his nearly four years as Washington D.C. Bureau Chief of the Chosun Ilbo. The Chosun Ilbo is one of the largest newspapers in Korea with nearly 2 million printed editions circulated daily and an international readership spanning the globe. Mr. Lee spoke with me just days before he departed for his permanent move back to Seoul, where he will continue to work as a journalist for the Chosun Ilbo.

Mr. Lee has by now interviewed both Presidents Obama and Lee, and has spent years shedding light–and sometimes sparking controversy–on the domestic and international policies of both the United States and his home country, South Korea. In this conversation, Mr. Lee shares with us his insights on what it’s like to “create oneself” as a foreign correspondent in D.C., how the current administration seems to differ from its predecessor, and how to maintain objectivity in an environment that seems to place a high premium on personal connections.